Impact apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for reclaiming tobacco from cigarette filters and wrappers includes a vertical casing with a top inlet and a bottom outlet. Vertically spaced and radially extending rods are secured to the inner periphery of the casing. A rotor with vertically spaced and radially extending rods secured thereto is rotatably mounted within the casing. The feed is struck as it passes downwardly between the intermeshing stationary and rotating rods and tobacco is disassociated from the filters and wrappers for subsequent separation by pneumatic or screen type separators.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Jesse R. Pinkham Winston-Salem, N.C.

July 14, 1969 May 11, 197 1 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco CompanyWinston-Salem, N.C.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 615,792, Feb. 13, 1967, nowabandoned which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.529,424, Feb. 23, 1965, now abandoned.

[21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] IMPACTAPPARATUS AND METHOD 2,700,512 1/1955 Denovan 241/154 2,731,209 1/1956Mare 241/56 2,737,350 3/1956 Craig.... 241/154 2,767,624 10/1956l-loesch..... 209/211 2,852,238 9/1958 Varkony... 241/191X 1,530,6543/1925 Daley 241/58 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,783 9/1872 Canada 153,332 11/1920Great Britain... 241/188 206,879 1l/1923 Great Britain... 241/188245,435 6/1926 Great Britain... 241/188 379,799 9/1932 Great Britain...209/2 572,088 9/1945 Great Britain 241/188 860,036 2/1961 Great Britain241 /1 88 Pri nary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Assistant ExaminerRalph J.Hill Attorneys-Robert S. Dunham, R. J. Dearborn, P. E.

l-lenninger, Lester W. Clark, John A. Harvey, Gerald W. Griffin, ThomasF. Moran, Howard .1 Churchill and Robert Scobey ABSTRACT: Apparatus forreclaiming tobacco from cigarette filters and wrappers includes avertical casing with atop inlet and a bottom outlet. Vertically spacedand radially extending rods are secured to the inner periphery of thecasing. A rotor with vertically spaced and radially extending rodssecured thereto is rotatably mounted within the casing. The feed isstruck as it passes downwardly between the intermeshing stationary androtating rods and tobacco is disassociated from the filters and wrappersfor subsequent separation by pneumatic or screen type separators.

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IMPACT APPARATUS AND METHOD RELATED APPLICATION The present applicationis a continuation of my copending application (now abandoned) Ser. No.615,792, filed Feb. 13, 1967, for Impact Apparatus and Method, which isin turn a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No.529,424 filed Feb. 23, I965 for Apparatus for Separating Tobacco fromCigarette Filters, now abandoned.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to impactapparatus for the striking of material, usually to break up a materialinto constituent particles or to separate a product from a wrapper. Theinvention finds particular application in the separation and reclaimingof tobacco and filters from filter tip cigarettes and in the separationof tobacco from enclosing cigarette papers from cigarettes rejected uponinspection in order to reclaim the tobacco.

In the manufacture and packaging of filter cigarettes, it is desirableto reclaim the tobacco and filters from cigarettes which have beenrejected in an inspection process. Uncontaminated tobacco may be reusedin the manufacture of cigarettes; uncontaminated filters may be used invarious ways, e.g., as a stuffing for dolls or mattresses. It is alsodesirable to be able to separate tobacco from enclosing cigarette paperof cigarettes which have been rejected during an inspection process inorder to reclaim the tobacco. It is further desirable to have an impactdevice which is suitable for breaking material into constituentparticles; e.g., lumps of chewing tobacco which have been rejectedduring an inspection process may be broken into constituent parts inorder to place the tobacco in more convenient sizes for subsequentreclaimmg.

The present invention involves unique impact apparatus, suitable in thetobacco industry to carry out reclaiming as noted above, or suitable forthe striking of any material. Briefly, the rotating vane assembliesstrike the material and cause the material to impinge upon the innersurface of the container and against the fixed vanes within thecontainer. The fixed vanes cause the material to follow a regular courseas it passes through the container. The shaping of the rotating vanes asfan blades provides a movement of air through the container to aid inthe material flow through the container. The helical ridge on the insidesurface of the container also aids in material flow. The variouscontainer, shaft and vane shapes and numbers of vanes enhance the impactaction for different materials. Particularly with reference to theseparation of tobacco from paper in a cigarette, it has been found thatby shaping the vanes so as not to cut the paper, the striking of thecigarette by the vanes creates an air pump action to blow the tobaccostrands out of the open end or ends of the cigarette. This action may beachieved without tearing the paper, thereby avoiding contamination oftobacco with bits of paper. The sieving of struck material enablesclassification according to material size, and the dust removal featuredescribed enhances the processing of material. In the processing oftobacco clinging to cigarette filters or contained within cigarettepaper, a separation of the tobacco from the filters or paper is achievedwithout resorting to the tedious hand processes employed in the past forsuch reclaiming of tobacco or the cumbersome machine slitting ofcigarette papers, e.g., to reclaim tobacco from rejected cigaretteassemblies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is aperspective view of an impact device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of theimpact device of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively along the sectionlines 3-3 and 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of impact devicein accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view (to an enlarged scale) of a fixed vaneassembly for use inthe impact device of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and are sectional views taken respectively along thesection lines 7-7, 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another form of impactdevice in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are sectional views of different rotating vanes suitablefor use in the impact devices of the invention.

FIGS 14, 15, l6, l7 and 18 are longitudinal sectional views I of varyingforms of impact devices in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 19 is a side view, partly in section, of a system in accordancewith the invention for striking material and classifying materialaccording to size.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the system of FIG. 19, looking downwardly inthe direction of the arrows 20-20 in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a side view of another system in accordance with theinvention, similar to the system of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a side view, partly in section, of still another system inaccordance with the invention, similar tov the system of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of part of theapparatus shown in FIG. 22, taken along the section line 2323 in FIG.22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows an impact device in accordance withthe invention. As an example, the device will be explained withreference to the separation of cigarette filters and tobacco clingingthereto. Cigarette filters 10 having tobacco clinging to the endsthereof are supplied via a chute 12 to a container 14. Such filters andclinging tobacco may be received from apparatus which severs the filtertip from the tobacco section of a cigarette or which separates thefilter section from the tobacco sections of a dual cigarette assembly.Severance typically occurs within the tobacco section or sections so asto avoid including any filter material in the severed tobacco section orsections. As a result, the severed filter section normally includestobacco clinging to an end or both ends thereof.

,The container 14 is advantageously formed as a cylinder having openends 14a and 14b. A shaft 16, whose axis coin cides with the axis of thecontainer 14, is mounted for rotation within the container. The shaft 16may be rotated by a motor 18 that is coupled by a belt drive 20 to theshaft.

A plurality of fixed vane assemblies 22 are mounted along the container14. Each vane assembly 22 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3) is formed from agroup of vanes 22a extending radially inwardly from a ring 22!; mountedon inner wall of the container toward the rotating shaft 16 within thecontainer. The vanes 220 may be secured to the ring 22b and the ring inturn may be secured to the inner wall 140 of the container all bywelding, for example, if the vanes, ring and container are made ofsteel. The vanes 22a in each assembly 22 thus are positionedcircumferentially about the cylinder 14 and extend toward the shaft 16.As shown in FIG. 2, there are four such fixed vane assemblies 22', thenumber of assemblies is arbitrary, however.

Disposed between the fixed vane assemblies 22 are rotating vaneassemblies 24. Each vane assembly 24 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) is formed froma group of vanes 24a extending circumferentially around the shaft 16 andradially outwardly toward the inner wall 14c of the container. The vanesmay be attached to a ring 24b which surrounds the shaft 16 and which issecured to the shaft. In FIG. 2, three such rotating vane assemblies areshown; the number is arbitrary. Normally, the fixed and rotating vaneassemblies should be alternately positioned along the cylinder.

The shaft 16 is rotated so as to rotate the vane assemblies 24. Asfilters pass by gravity downwardly through the container 14, they firstpass through the uppermost fixed vane assembly 22. The filters nextencounter the uppermost rotating vane assembly 24. The individual vanes24a of this assembly strike the filters and cause them to impingeagainst the inner wall 14c of the container, and against the fixed vanes22a of the next lower vane assembly so as to shake the tobacco loosefrom the filters. The uppermost fixed vane assembly 22 ensures that thefilters will not be thrown upwardly and out of the container by therotating vanes 24.

The filters pass downwardly through the series of fixed vane assembliesand rotating vane assemblies. Each fixed vane assembly 22, whileproviding surfaces against which the filters impinge, ensures that thefilters move properly downwardly and corrects any sidewise movement ofthe filters caused by the rotating vane assemblies. By the time thefilters reach the bottom, open end 1412 of the container, all thetobacco has been shaken from the filters so that tobacco and filters,separated from each other, emerge from the open end 14b of thecontainer. The lowermost fixed vane assembly 22 ensures that the filtersmove downwardly following the final striking of the filters by thelowermost rotating vane assembly 24. Fixed vane assemblies, rather thanrotating vane assemblies, may be positioned at the top and bottom of thecontainer adjacent the entrance and exit zones of the container, asshown in FIG. 2, to ensure the downward, vertical course of the filters.

Any suitable sieving arrangement, such as the sieving arrangements shownin FIGS. I922, to be described in detail later, may be positionedbeneath the lower, open end 14!; of the container so as to segregate thetobacco and the filters.

It has been found that for the separation of tobacco from conventionalfilters, the container I4 advantageously may be approximately 3 feet inlength and of an inside diameter of approximately IO to 20 inches. Fourassemblies of fixed vanes and three assemblies of rotating vanes havebeen found to be desirable, with the vertical spacing of the assembliesapproximately 2 to 3 inches and with a speed of rotation ofapproximately 500 to 700 rpm. for the rotating vane assemblies.

As noted above, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. l-4 hasbeen described in its relation to the separation of cigarette filtersand tobacco clinging thereto. The apparatus shown may be employed as animpact device suitable for striking any material.

FIGS. -10 shown another impact device, particularly suitable for theseparation of tobacco from enclosing cigarette papers in the reclaimingof tobacco from defective cigarette assemblies. The device of FIG. 5employs a cylindrical container 30 having an entrance funnel 32 orsimilar structure attached to the upper end of the cylinder to whichmaterial to be struck is applied. A shaft assembly 34 is positioned withthe container. As shown, the shaft is hollow and includes an uppercylindrical portion 340, an intermediate frustoconical portion 34b, anda lower cylindrical portion 340. Thus the shaft is circular intransverse section, the diameter of transverse sections varying from oneend of the shaft to the other. In particular, the diameter increasesfrom the top end of the shaft to the lower end of the shaft.

The shaft 34 is mounted to a drive shaft 36 by means of spiders 38. Thedrive shaft 36 is in turn supported for rotation at its lower end by abearing 40 and spiders 42 which secure the bearing 40 within thecylindrical container 30. A collar 44 is secured to the drive shaft 36above top plate 46 closing off the top of the cylindrical container 30and maintains the shaft 36 in place. A belt drive 48 drives the driveshaft 36.

Mounted about the hollow shaft 34 are pins 50 which comprise rotatingvanes within the cylindrical container 30. The vanes 50 may berod-shaped in order to eliminate sharp edges in the impact device and toavoid cutting the material being processed. Fixed vanes 52 (with respectto the container 30) extend toward the rotating shaft 34 and areadvantageously mounted as shown in FIG. 6 on a strap 54, cg, by beingwelded to the strap. A plurality of such straps are positioned about theoutside of the container as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. Each strapextends vertically on the container. The container is drilled orotherwise suitably formed with holes to permit the fixed vanes 52 toextend into the container. As shown in FIG. 6, the vanes 52 are ofvarying lengths in order to compensate for the varying diameters of thetransverse sections of the supporting shaft 3411. In position, the endsof the fixed vanes 52 are all spaced substantially the same distancefrom the supporting shaft 34. In the same fashion, the rotating vanesare of varying lengths so that they too are spaced substantiallyequidistantly from the inner surface of the cylindrical container 30.

The diameter of the supporting shaft 34 is varied to provide a varyingvolume for the striking of material as the material passes downwardlythrough the impact device. At the upper or entrance end of the device,the volume available for striking is much greater than the reducedvolume at the lower or exit end of the device. It will also be notedfrom the sectional views of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 that, for succeedinglylower positions in the impact device, the number of vanes (both rotatingand fixed) at any level varies. For example, the sectional view of FIG.8 shows that adjacent the entrance zone of the device there are threerotating vanes 50 at the topmost level of vanes and three fixed vanes 52at the next lower level. As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 9, takenbelow the sectional view of FIG. 8, there are six rotating vanes 50spaced circumferentially about the supporting shaft 34 and, at the nextlower level, the same number of fixed vanes 52 are spacedcircumferentially about the cylinder 30. As shown by the sectional viewof FIG. 10, taken below the sectional view of FIG. 9, there are 12rotating vanes 50 circumferentially spaced about the supporting shaft 34at each level or tier of rotating vanes and the same number of fixedvanes 52 at each level or tier of fixed vanes. The actual number ofvanes shown is exemplary. Varying the number of vanes at differentlevels in the impact device and varying the striking volume, asdescribed, ensures the smooth downward flow of material through thedevice. In particular, fewer vanes in a larger volume near the entrancezone permits the material to move initially downwardly through thedevice without hindrance. By providing an increasing number of vanes ina smaller striking volume, the material is increasingly struck after ithas assumed a substantial downward component of motion.

By decreasing the striking volume and increasing the number of rotatingvanes for succeedingly lower positions in the impact device, thestriking action may be enhanced for certain materials. In particular, inthe event that a large chunky material is broken into smallerconstituent particles by the action of the device, it is appropriate toprovide increasing striking action per unit volume in the container asthe particle size decreases during the course of the material throughthe device to ensure sufficient breakup of the material without cuttingor tearing of the material.

The use of rod-shaped vanes is advantageous in handling some material inwhich it is desired to strike the material without cutting it. Vaneshaving fiat planar surfaces such as i the vanes 22 and 24 shown in FIG.2 tend to cut the material.

The rod-shaped vanes as shown in FIG. 6 are particularly advantageous inthe striking of finished cigarettes to reclaim the tobacco therein.

In FIG. 5 is will be noted that the lower end of the hollowvane-supporting shaft 34 is positioned somewhat above the bottom or exitend of the container 30. As thus positioned the hollow supporting shaftmay be employed for the evacuation of dust from the container. Withreference also to FIG. 7, the drive shaft 36 (by a collar 59 pinned tothe shaft) supports a plurality of fan blades 60 mounted to the shaftabove the upper, open end of the vane-supporting shaft 34. As the driveshaft 36 is rotated, the blades 60 rotate, as shown by arrow 62 in FIG.7, creating a movement of air upwardly through the hollowvane-supporting shaft 34 which carries dust and other fine particles ofwaste material upwardly through the shaft. The upper part of thecontainer 30 adjacent the blades 60 communicates with an exit port 64shown in FIG. 7 to exhaust the fine particles of dust and other wastematerial from the device. The exhaust action is such as to remove onlywaste particles and not to suck other material upwardly out of the exitarea of the device. Typically all the material to be reclaimed passesdownwardly out of the container 30. However, it will be noted that somematerial to be reclaimed might be specifically removed by being suckedupwardly through the hollow vane-supporting shaft 34 if desired. It willbe appreciated that by varying the number of fan blades 60 and theirangular disposition with respect to each other and with respect to theaxis of the container. a varying airflow can be provided in order toremove dust or other material from the impact device. Further, a closurevalve (not shown) provided in the exit 64 may also provide adjustment ofthe airflow.

In a representative impact device that was constructed for use inseparating tobacco from finished cigarettes, a cylinder approximately 15inches in diameter and greater than 39 inches long (24 inchesrl' 7inches 8 inches equals 39 inches) was employed as container 30. Thevane'supporting shaft 34 was roughly 6 inches in diameter and 24 incheslong in the cylindrical section 34a, increasing to a maximum diameter of10 inches in the frustoconical portion 34b (7 inches long) and remainingat that diameter for a total length of approximately 8 inches in thecylindrical section 34c. The number of vanes in the device were as shownand described above in connection with FIGS. 8l0. For the lengths ofshaft sections 34a, 34b, and 340 given above, and the number oflevels ortiers or vanes as shown in FIG. 5, the spacing between adjacent tierswas in the order of 1 /2 inches. The inlet funnel 32 extendedapproximately 90 around the container 30. A total of six fan blades 60spaced 60 apart were employed, and the drive shaft 36 was driven atroughly 725 r.p.m. Rod-shaped vanes about fiveeighths inch in diameteras shown in FIG. 6 were employed to strike the cigarettes applied to theimpact device. A spacing of about three-eighths inch was maintainedbetween the ends of the movable vanes 50 and the container 30 andbetween the ends of the fixed vanes 52 and the hollow shaft 34. Theperipheral speed of the tips of the movable vanes 50 was approximately2,7 l0 feet per minute.

The device appeared to act with a clear impact action on the cigaretteswithout any substantial cutting. It was observed that a large number ofcigarette paper tubes empty of tobacco passed downwardly through thebottom of the container without any tearing of the paper. It is believedthat the action of the vanes on the cigarettes was pneumatic. Inparticular, it will be noted that the tobacco filler in a cigarette isroughly 20 percent solids (tobacco strands) and 80 percent air, andhence is soft and pliable. When the cigarette is struck by one of therotating vanes, the blow is sufficient to flatten or reduce thedimension of the cigarette at the point of impact. An air pump effect iscreated, and the air movement within the paper tube virtually blows thetobacco strands out the open end or ends of the tube. With the roundrodlike vanes, the paper is not cut substantially, and the spacingbetween fixed and rotating vanes is sufiicient to prevent any scissorsaction. It is believed that in a device of the dimensions given above,the optimum peripheral speed at the tips of the vanes 50 is from 2,200to 3,200 feet per minute, corresponding to rotational speeds of from 590to 857 r.p.m. depending on the moisture content of the material operatedupon, the separate filter material and tobacco. The speed at the innerends of the vanes 50 on the shaft section 34a correspondingly rangesfrom about 926 to about 1,347 feet per minute. Too low a speed prohibitscomplete separation; too high a speed bursts some filters, contaminatingthe tobacco.

FIGS. 11-13 show an alternative form of impact device involving aparticular vane structure to provide for an airflow downwardly throughthe device to aid in the movement of the material through the device.The impact device employs a container 70, fixed vanes 72 and a rotatingshaft 74 driven by a belt drive 76. Vanes 78 are affixed to the shaft 74and strike the material which is applied to the device by a chute 80positioned adjacent the upper end of the container. The vanes 78 maytake the form shown in FIG. 12, comprising a rodlike portion 780 towhich is secured a fan blade member 78b on the trailing edge of the vane(as noted by arrow 82 designating movement of the vane). The fan blademember 78b provides for the downward movement of air through the deviceas the vane rotates. .Such a movement of air aids in ensuring thedownward movement of material through the device and increases thecapacity (rate of material flow) of the device. FIG. 13 shows analternative structure in which vane 78' is generally of fan blade shapein its entirety. There are no sharp edges in the vane 78 so as to avoidtearing of the material struck by the vane as well as to provide a goodaerodynamic shape.

FIG. 14 shows an alternative form of impact device in which container 84is of frustoconical shape. In other words, the container is circular intransverse section, with the diameter of transverse sections increasingfor succeedingly lower sections in the container. Fixed vanes 86 androtating vanes 88 are provided as in the other impact devices described.Material to be struck is applied to upper end 84a of the device. Thedevice of FIG. 14 is suitable for the striking of material which is"fluffed" i.e., which increase in bulk after being struck. For example,if tightly packed material is struck and expands upon impact, theincreasing diameter of the container is advantageous since itaccommodates the increase in bulk as the material cascades downwardlythrough the fixed and rotating vane assemblies.

FIG. 15 shows aform of impact device similar to that of FIG. 14, exceptthat container 84' is frustoconical with its greatest diameter at thetop of the device rather that at the bottom as in FIG. 14. The containeris thus circular in transverse section, with the diameter of transversesections decreasing for succeedingly lower levels of the device. Thedevice of FIG. 15 is suitable, e.g., in the event that the struckmaterial becomes granular upon impact by rotating vanes 88'. Because thevolume at any cross section in the container decreases as the materialpasses downwardly through the container, more striking action per unitvolume in the container takes place in the lower portion of thecontainer.

Another impact device is shown in FIG. 16, in this case employing acylindrical container 90 and vane-supporting shaft 92 which isfrustoconical in shape. In other words, the shaft 92, which supportsvanes 94, is circular in section, with the diameter of transversesections increasing from the top of the container 90 to the bottom ofthe container. As in the impact devices previously described, materialto be struck is applied to the top of the container. It will be notedthat the volume of any section in the container available for thestriking of material decreases for succeedingly lower positions withinthe container, and in this respect the device of FIG. 16 is similar tothe device of FIG. 15. It will also be noted that the lengths of fixedvanes 95 and rotating vanes 94 vary so that the ends of the fixed vanesare all substantially uniformly spaced from the surface of the shaft 92,while the ends of the rotating vanes 94 are all substantially uniformlyspaced from the inner surface of the container 90.

FIG. 17 shows another impact device in accordance with the invention.Mounted within container are fixed vanes 102. Rotating vanes 104 aremounted on shaft 106 which is driven by belt drive 108. It will be notedthat ends 1040 of the rotating vanes extend substantially parallel tothe shaft 106, and that the fixed vanes 102 include portions 102athereof extending parallel to the rotating vane ends 104a. Thisconfiguration of blades reduces scrubbing of the material against theinner surface of the container 100 inasmuch as the ends of the vanes 104are spaced a substantial distance from the surface of the container.

FIG. 18 discloses a modified form of container suitable for use in anyof the impact devices previously described. Container 109 is typicallycylindrical and includes a helical ridge 1090 on the inside surfacethereof. The helical ridge aids in the flow of material downwardlythrough the container. In particular, it should be noted that as thematerial is struck by the rotating vane assemblies of the impactdevices, the movement of the struck material is outwardly toward theinner surface of the container. As the material is hurled outwardly, ittends to remain suspended in annular rings above each group of rotatingvanes. The helical ridge 109a directs the material downwardly and thusaids in the flow of material through the device. It has been found thatsuch a helical ridge increases the capacity of an impact device since itspeeds the flow of material through the device.

The ridges are particularly helpful when combined with the shaping ofthe rotating vanes such as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 to move airdownwardly through the container. Both shaped vanes and helical ridgeenhance the passage of material through the container.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show an arrangement suitable for the striking ofmaterial and the subsequent classification of material according tosize. A material to be struck is applied from a chute 110 to an impactdevice arrangement 112. As shown in FIG. 20 the impact devicearrangement 112 comprises a series of three separate impact devices112a, 112h and 1120 all disposed to receive material to be struck. Eachof the three impact devices may take the form of any of the impactdevices previously described. It will be noted, however, that a singlecontainer 114 is employed so that there is communication between thedifferent impact devices. The rotating vane assemblies in each of thedevices may rotate in the directions shown by the arrows; e.g., all mayrotate in a clockwise direction. A belt drive assembly 116 shown in FIG.19 may be provided to rotate all of the rotating vane assemblies 117.Any number of impact devices may be employed, and rotation in anydirection may be utilized. If desired, the rotating vane assemblies maybe given directions of rotation which differ from one device to another.Although the impact devices communicate with each other by virtue of thesingle container 114, the communication does not provide substantialshifting of material from one impact device to another, although suchshifting, if it takes place, is not necessarily undesirable.

Although a single container 114 has been shown for the plurality ofimpact devices employed, a plurality of separate impact devices eachwithin its own container and not communicating with any other device maybe used. What is desired in the arrangement of FIG. 20 is to have animpact device arrangement which extends across an entire inlet area,such as provided by chute 110 of FIG. 19, without requiring a single,very large impact device if a relatively large inlet area isencountered.

With a single container such as the container 114 of FIG. 20, therotating vanes 117 in adjacent devices must be positioned at differentlevels along associated shafts 1170 in order to clear one another in theregions 114a of communication between adjacent devices. The differencein height between adjacent levels of vanes in adjacent devices should besufficient to avoid a scissors action. The spacing between the ends ofthe rotating vanes 117 of one device and the shaft 1170 of an adjacentdevice should be about the same as the spacing between the ends of thevanes and the container 114.

The material from the impact devices 112, after being struck, passesdownwardly to a vibrating screen assembly 118 shown in FIG. 19 which isvibrated by means of a conventional vibrator 120. The screen assembly118 is of a mesh size to pass certain particles of material downwardlythrough the screen onto a removal conveyor 122, while particles of alarger size than the mesh size are retained on the screen assembly andwithdrawn therefrom through an outlet chamber 124. The outlet chamber124 may be provided with a vacuum through a conduit 126 to drawparticles of material on the screen assembly 118 into the chamber 124and out through the conduit 126. In the processing of tobacco enclosedin cigarette papers, e.g., the impact devices 112 may separate thetobacco from the paper. The mesh size of the screen arrangement 118 maybe chosen so that tobacco passes downwardly through the screen onto theconveyor 122 while paper is retained on top of the screen to be drawninto the chamber 124 and passed out through the conduit 126.

FIG. 21 discloses an arrangement similar to FIG. 19 for the striking ofmaterial and the subsequent sieving of material for classificationaccording to size. One or more impact devices 130 of the type describedabove are positioned to receive material to be struck from a chute 132.A drive mechanism 134 drives the rotating vane assemblies (not shown) inthe impact structure 130. Material struck in the impact structure passesdownwardly through an outlet chute 136 into a rotating screen assembly138 shown as comprising an outer cylindrical drum 138a and innercylindrical screens 13817 and 138C. Screens 138k and 1380 and thecylindrical drum 138a are all mounted concentrically with respect toeach other by any suitable mounting arrangement (not shown), and bothscreens and drum are rotated by a drive 140 which drives rollers 140athat engage the drum. Exit end 136a of the chute 136 discharges materialfrom the impact structure 130 inside the innermost screen 138C.

As an example, assume that rejected filter cigarettes are beingprocessed by the impact structure 130. The mesh sizes of the screens138!) and 138c are chosen so that the screen 1381' retains cigarettepapers and filters therein to be discharged from the lower end thereofas shown by arrow 140. Tobacco passes through the screen 1386 but isretained within the screen 138!) to pass outwardly from the lower endthereof as shown by arrow 142. Fine scrap and dust pass through thescreen 138!) and are retained within the drum 138a from which they passout the lower end thereof as shown by arrow 144.

In FIG. 21 a cyclone 146 is employed which is connected by a conduit 148to the upper end of the impact structure 130. The conduit 148corresponds to the exit port 64 shown in FIG. 7 and serves to withdrawfine dust and air from the lower end of the impact structure 130, asexplained above with respect to the impact device of FIG. 5. Fineparticles of material are returned via conduit 150 to the outlet chute136 from the impact structure to be applied to the screen arrangement138. Outlet 152 from the cyclone is a conventional clean air outlet.

FIG. 22 shows an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 21 involving adifferent screen arrangement. One or more impact devices 153 of the typedescribed above discharge material downwardly into a screen arrangement154 comprising an open topped container 156 closed by a bottom plate156a and including two screens 158 and 160, one over the other, therein.The screen 158 corresponds to the screen 1380 of FIG. 21; the screen 160corresponds to the screen 138b of FIG. 21. An outlet 162 dischargesmaterial from above the screen 158, an outlet 164 discharges materialfrom above the screen 160, and an outlet 166 discharges material fromabove bottom plate 156a. The entire screen arrangement 154 is mounted bysprings 168 onto a base structure 170. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23,bottom plate 156a also includes a downwardly extending cylindricalhousing 172 inside of which is mounted a motor 174 whose shaft includeseccentric weights 176a and 176b. The motor is energized to rotate theeccentric weights. The angular spacing of the eccentric weights on themotor shaft may be varied in conventional fashion to provide any desireddegree of eccentricity in order to provide for vibration as the weightsare rotated, as is well known. In this fashion, the screen arrangement154 of FIG. 22 is continuously vibrated as material is applied theretoby the impact structure 153. Particles of coarse material are retainedon top of the screen 158 and removed from the exit 162 while finerparticles pass through the screen 158. Some of these finer particles areretained on top of the screen 160 and pass through the exit 164.Finally, dust and other very fine particles pass through the screen 160and are retained on top of the bottom plate 156a to pass from the screenarrangement through the exit 166.

Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above. Itwill be understood that modifications of the apparatus shown may bemade. Accordingly, the invention should be taken to be defined by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

Apparatus for striking cigarette pieces such as cigarette wall, anopening adjacent the upper end of the casing to receive said cigarettepieces, and a discharge opening adjacent the lower end of the casing;

b. a rotor of predetermined diameter satisfying the relationship of (e)below and extending axially of the casing;

a first multiplicity of tiers of stationary horizontal vanes, each vaneextending radially inwardly from said casing wall toward the axisthereof;

. a second multiplicity of tiers of vanes fixed on said rotor,

each vane of the second multiplicity extending radially outwardly towardsaid casing wall, adjacent tiers of each multiplicity of tiers beingspaced on opposite sides of a tier of the other multiplicity;

. means for rotating the rotor at a speed such that the tips of thevanes of the second multiplicity move at a speed of about 2,200 to about3,200 feet per minute, the diameter of said rotor being chosen so thatthe inner ends of these vanes move at a corresponding speed of about 926to about l,347 feet per minute; adjacent tiers of vanes being spacedsufficiently apart, in the order of about 1% to about 3 inches, toprevent any scissors action therebetween;

said first and second multiplicity of tiers of vanes cooperating withsaid solid peripheral casing wall to define a path of downward movementfor said cigarette pieces, within which path the cigarette pieces aresubject to impact in order to separate the tobacco therefrom.

2. Apparatus for striking cigarette pieces such as cigarette filters,cigarette wrappers and the like to separate tobacco therefrom,comprising:

a. a vertically extending casing having a solid peripheral wall, anopening adjacent the upper end of the casing to receive said cigarettepieces, and a discharge opening adjacent the lower end of the casing fordischarging material out of the casing;

b. a hollow, open-ended rotor extending axially of the casc. a firstmultiplicity of stationary vanes extending inwardly from said casingwall;

a second multiplicity of vanes fixed on said rotor and extendingoutwardly toward said casing wall;

e. means for rotating the rotor at a speed such that the tips of thevanes of the second multiplicity move at a speed of about 2,200 to 3,200feet per minute, the diameter of said rotor being chosen so that theinnner ends of these vanes move at a corresponding speed of about 926 toabout 1,347 feet per minute, the cigarette pieces passing downwardlythrough said casing between the wallthereof and said rotor and beingstruck by the rotating vanes to separate tobacco therefrom; and

. means for sucking air upwardly through said rotor ro remove dust andother fine material while permitting tobacco and other relatively bulkmaterial to be discharged out of said discharge opening;

g. adjacent tiers of vanes being spaced sufficiently apart, in

1. Apparatus for striking cigarette pieces such as cigarette filters,cigarette wrappers and the like to separate tobacco therefrom,comprising: a. a vertically extending casing having a solid peripheralwall, an opening adjacent the upper end of the casing to receive saidcigarette pieces, and a discharge opening adjacent the lower end of thecasing; b. a rotor of predetermined diameter satisfying the relationshipof (e) below and extending axially of the casing; c. a firstmultiplicity of tiers of stationary horizontal vanes, each vaneextending radially inwardly from said casing wall toward the axisthereof; d. a second multiplicity of tiers of vanes fixed on said rotor,each vane of the second multiplicity extending radially outwardly towardsaid casing wall, adjacent tiers of each multiplicity of tiers beingspaced on opposite sides of a tier of the other multiplicity; e. meansfor rotating the rotor at a speed such that the tips of the vanes of thesecond multiplicity move at a speed of about 2,200 to about 3,200 feetper minute, the diameter of said rotor being chosen so that the innerends of these vanes move at a corresponding speed of about 926 to about1,347 feet per minute; f. adjacent tiers of vanes being spacedsufficiently apart, in the order of about 1 1/2 to about 3 inches, toprevent any scissors action therebetween; g. said first and secondmultiplicity of tiers of vanes cooperating with said solid peripheralcasing wall to define a path of downward movement for said cigarettepieces, within which path the cigarette pieces are subject to impact inorder to separate the tobacco therefrom.
 2. Apparatus for strikingcigarette pieces such as cigarette filters, cigarette wrappers and thelike to separate tobacco therefrom, comprising: a. a verticallyextending casing having a solid peripheral wall, an opening adjacent theupper end of the casing to receive said cigarette pieces, and adischarge opening adjacent the lower end of the casing for dischargingmaterial out of the casing; b. a hollow, open-ended rotor extendingaxially of the casing; c. a first multiplicity of stationary vanesextending inwardly from said casing wall; d. a second multiplicity ofvanes fixed on said rotor and extending outwardly toward said casingwall; e. means for rotating the rotor at a speed such that the tips ofthe vanes of the second multiplicity move at a speed of about 2,200 to3,200 feet per minute, the diameter of said rotor being chosen so thatthe innner ends of these vanes move at a corresponding speed of about926 to about 1,347 feet per minute, the cigarette pieces passingdownwardly through said casing between the wall thereof and said rotorand being struck by the rotating vanes to separate tobacco therefrom;and f. means for sucking air upwardly through said rotor ro remove dustand other fine material while permitting tobacco and other relativelybulk material to be discharged out of said discharge opening; g.adjacent tiers of vanes being spaced sufficiently apart, in the order ofabout 1 1/2 to about 3 inches, to prevent any scissors actiontherebetween.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the means (f)comprises a fan assembly mounted on the upper end of the rotor. 4.Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the lower end of the rotor isof greater diameter than the upper end.